As the Napoleonic Wars came to an end and the Era of Good Feelings arose, the late 1820's brought about much concern with foreign policies in Europe. Americans had always been looking southward, but the Spanish Empire's control in the south made them hesitant as new nations were in the making. The United States developed a reasonable trade with Latin American and they rivaled against Britain as the main trading nation there. The United States even sold ships and supplies to the revolutionaries in Latin America, an obvious notion that they were trying to help the rebels. They strived to increase trade in the region of the south so that the American economy would remain prosperous. James Monroe, the fifth president of the United States, wanted to declare a clear line between the New World and the monarch nations of Europe. Thus, he went further with the American relationship with the Latin American colonies; he announced a policy that would be known as a significantly important foreign policy in history.
The Monroe Doctrine:
On December 2nd, 1823, President James Monroe initiated a policy that would be later be known as the "Monroe Doctrine." However, James Monroe had little significance to the doctrine, as it was primarily the work of John Quincy Adams. The Monroe Doctrine stated that free American continents are not to be a question of colonization by European powers. The United States declared to remain neutral to the existing European colonies in America, and they not want to interfere with any concerns of European countries. The Monroe Doctrine declared that any further attempts from European countries to colonize territory in North or South America would be considered an act of aggression. The doctrine was to secure the newly formed colonies of Latin American from European dominance. The main goal of the doctrine was distinct spheres of influence for America and Europe, non-colonization, and non-intervention.
The doctrine was mainly influenced by the relationship the United States had with Europe in the 1820's. Americans feared that Spain and their French allies would overthrow their lost empires in Latin America. Other Americans feared that Great Britain was interested in Cuba. Adams and Monroe both thought it was necessary to keep Cuba in the Spanish control until they fell to the Americans.
Although The Monroe Doctrine had few immediate effects, it helped the United States continue the sense of nationalism they felt after the War of 1812. The Monroe Doctrine, along with the idea of manifest destiny, also helped expand the United States Westward. More importantly, the doctrine provoked the United States as the dominant power in the Western Hemisphere. The Monroe Doctrine continued to have a lasting effect later on in history with the decision making of many U.S. presidents including John F. Kennedy, Theodore Roosevelt, Lyndon B. Johnson and several others.
Background:
As the Napoleonic Wars came to an end and the Era of Good Feelings arose, the late 1820's brought about much concern with foreign policies in Europe. Americans had always been looking southward, but the Spanish Empire's control in the south made them hesitant as new nations were in the making. The United States developed a reasonable trade with Latin American and they rivaled against Britain as the main trading nation there. The United States even sold ships and supplies to the revolutionaries in Latin America, an obvious notion that they were trying to help the rebels. They strived to increase trade in the region of the south so that the American economy would remain prosperous. James Monroe, the fifth president of the United States, wanted to declare a clear line between the New World and the monarch nations of Europe. Thus, he went further with the American relationship with the Latin American colonies; he announced a policy that would be known as a significantly important foreign policy in history.
The Monroe Doctrine:
On December 2nd, 1823, President James Monroe initiated a policy that would be later be known as the "Monroe Doctrine." However, James Monroe had little significance to the doctrine, as it was primarily the work of John Quincy Adams. The Monroe Doctrine stated that free American continents are not to be a question of colonization by European powers. The United States declared to remain neutral to the existing European colonies in America, and they not want to interfere with any concerns of European countries. The Monroe Doctrine declared that any further attempts from European countries to colonize territory in North or South America would be considered an act of aggression. The doctrine was to secure the newly formed colonies of Latin American from European dominance. The main goal of the doctrine was distinct spheres of influence for America and Europe, non-colonization, and non-intervention.
The doctrine was mainly influenced by the relationship the United States had with Europe in the 1820's. Americans feared that Spain and their French allies would overthrow their lost empires in Latin America. Other Americans feared that Great Britain was interested in Cuba. Adams and Monroe both thought it was necessary to keep Cuba in the Spanish control until they fell to the Americans.
Although The Monroe Doctrine had few immediate effects, it helped the United States continue the sense of nationalism they felt after the War of 1812. The Monroe Doctrine, along with the idea of manifest destiny, also helped expand the United States Westward. More importantly, the doctrine provoked the United States as the dominant power in the Western Hemisphere. The Monroe Doctrine continued to have a lasting effect later on in history with the decision making of many U.S. presidents including John F. Kennedy, Theodore Roosevelt, Lyndon B. Johnson and several others.